Mission and Vision

The Foundation was created to support the Archivist of the United States in developing programs, technology, projects, and materials that will introduce and interpret the Archives’ holdings to the American people and to people around the world. The purpose of the Foundation is to educate, enrich, and inspire a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage through the collected evidence of its history.

Within the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, as well as its many regional archives, records centers, and Presidential libraries and museums, and in outreach to the American public through traveling exhibitions and national media, the Foundation’s goal is to assist in presenting the historical records that:

• Reveal the ideals and values of the nation’s Founders,
• Point to the meaning of the records and accomplishments of previous generations, and
• Establish the significance of these records as proof that individual citizenship not only matters, but is vital to our lives.

It is the vision of the National Archives Foundation that this creative effort, enhanced with 21st Century methods, will produce a greater understanding of the American journey – where our nation has been and how it can be best guided in the future. In this public/private partnership, the role of the Foundation is to generate financial and creative support from individuals and corporations to provide this extensive outreach, which has not been mandated by Congress.